Aug. 20, 2025
Next Start Date
8
Courses Required
$797
Cost Per Credit Hour
22
Total Credit Hours
Online Courses, Low Residency
Learning Formats
The Nurse Executive Leadership (NEL) post-MSN certificate, offered by the School of Nursing, is for professional nurses who have an MSN degree and are interested in leadership positions within health care. The program prepares nurses for careers in administration and management and includes educational concepts such as finance and budgeting, quality measures, improving the client experience, interprofessional collaboration, advanced information technology, and systems-based thinking. It will provide you with skills to pursue administrative or managerial positions and leadership roles in a range of health care settings. You will gain valuable hands-on experience in a clinical practicum with experienced nurse leader preceptors. Graduates of this program will meet all requirements to sit for national certification.
This is a 22-credit hour program, consisting of six didactic and two three-credit clinical courses. All didactic courses are offered via a mix of synchronous and asynchronous, web-based modalities. Two semesters of clinical practicum are required for a total of 300 clinical hours. These hours will be completed with a nurse leader mentor in a healthcare setting. Preceptors will be selected based on direct experience with human resource management, budget and finance responsibilities, quality and safety responsibilities and inter-professional collaboration.
Graduates will be prepared for Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or to become Certified Nurse Executive Practice (CNEP) through the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
At the completion of the Nurse Executive Leadership Post-Master’s Certificate, the graduate will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:
"As a graduate of WVU, I look forward to helping future students begin their own journeys to becoming a Mountaineer. At WVU Online, we are eager to guide you through the enrollment process with ease and want to provide you with the information and resources you need to be successful. Online degrees give everyone an opportunity to further their education and I can’t wait to help you do just that."
Qualifications
Eligible applicants are those who:
In addition, applicants:
To be considered, applicants will be required to meet all WVU admission requirements in addition to program-specific admission criteria.
Students must satisfactorily complete background checks and drug screens upon admission.
New program applicants with a positive drug screen will be ineligible for admission to the program and will forfeit their admission “seat.” Please see the WVU SON Drug and Alcohol Screening Policy and the Health Information and Credential Documentation Policy.
Note: Any student who has been dismissed from the West Virginia University School of Nursing or any other nursing program may be considered for readmission if the dismissal was academic and was followed by successful completion of an additional degree. Any student who has withdrawn from the WVU School of Nursing program may be considered for readmission. Students may apply for readmission in accordance with the following guidelines and criteria but must follow the standard admission procedures. Students must meet all original admission requirements.
Depending on prerequisites completed, entry term into the program will vary from student to student. Students will be reviewed for admission on a rolling basis until July 1. Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions as they are reviewed.
Note: Certificate seeking students, with approval from the certificate program, may transfer up to 6 of the required credits for a graduate certificate from a different institution or applied from another previous or concurrent WVU degree or certificate. Individual course credits may be applied to no more than two degrees, majors, or certificates. Courses applied to a certificate must have been completed no more than seven years prior to certificate conferral.
Candidates for admission are evaluated on the entire admission packet. The WVU School of Nursing accepts new Post-MSN Certificate students on a rolling admission basis and will review all qualified applications based on admission criteria. Acceptance is dependent upon space available in the program with the most qualified applicants being accepted at the time of review. Decisions will be emailed to students. Accepted students will receive information regarding orientation and course registration. Students will be evaluated based on the following:
Enrollment in nursing courses is based upon readiness, availability of space and other essential resources.
Clinical rotations with approved preceptors in the final year of your program must be arranged with course faculty. Due to potential preceptor limitations, students may have to travel out of their local areas to their clinical sites and are required to provide their own reliable transportation.
Some students applying to certificate programs may have accrued direct patient care hours prior to admission. Upon request, the student’s program of study will be personalized via gap analyses to determine the number of clinical practicum hours required of each student. Any hours accrued prior to admission must have been academically supervised and completed in a setting and population appropriate to the certificate program in which the student is enrolled. Students must obtain a completed Verification of Qualifying MSN Clinical Hours and Gap Analysis form from the director of their previous program within the first semester of enrollment.
In programs with limited capacity and competitive admissions, the most qualified students are selected among those that meet the minimum requirements. Students who want to appeal the Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Committee decision as unfair, arbitrary, or capricious may contact the director of Admissions and Enrollment for the School of Nursing. The request will be forwarded to the program director for consideration, and the student will receive detailed information regarding the formal appeal process.
Students enrolled in certificate programs are not eligible for financial aid. Visit Student Financial Support & Services for additional information.
The tuition rate per credit hour listed above is for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition and fees increase beginning in the fall term of each academic year.
Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies and living expenses. Please see the Estimate Costs and Aid webpage for how to estimate and plan for other potential expenses.
This certificate program is specifically designed for current nursing professionals holding a master’s degree or higher in nursing who may be in advanced practice, education, leadership, and/or direct patient care roles. This program will prepare nurses for careers in administration and leadership. The certificate program includes educational concepts such as finance & budgeting, quality measures, improving the client experience, interprofessional collaboration, advanced information technology, and systems-based thinking. It provides the nurse skills to pursue administrative or managerial positions and leadership roles in a range of health care settings. The student will gain valuable hands-on experience in a clinical practicum with experienced nurse leader preceptors.
Graduates of the NEL certificate program will be able to:
It's important to note that pursuing a career in nursing management and executive leadership requires strong leadership skills, effective communication, and a commitment to lifelong learning. However, for individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact on patient care, shaping healthcare organizations, and leading teams, it can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling career path.
Students who graduate from WVU Online with the Nurse Executive Leadership Graduate Certificate may be prepared for the following careers. These are only a few examples of some of the many opportunities that will be open to you with this degree. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for some positions.
Information about careers on this list comes from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA)
Course | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
NSG 600 | Financial Management in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
NSG 611 | Systems-Based Decision Making | 2 |
NSG 616 | Role Seminar in Leadership | 2 |
NSG 617 | Leadership Practicum I | 3 |
NSG 618 | Leadership Practicum II | 3 |
NSG 704 | Health Care Leadership | 3 |
NSG 724 | Health Statistics 1 | 3 |
NSG 754 | Transforming Health Care through Information Technology | 3 |
Total Hours: 22
A Nurse Executive Leadership Graduate Certificate program:
Two semesters of clinical practicum are required for a total of 300 clinical hours. These hours will be completed with a nurse leader mentor in a healthcare setting. Preceptors will be selected based on direct experience with human resource management, budget & finance responsibilities, quality and safety responsibilities and inter-professional collaboration.
Common ways to network include:
Networking is not just limited to formal events/programs. It can also occur informally through personal connections, introductions from colleagues or professors, and participation in online forums or interest groups. Building and nurturing relationships with professionals in your field can lead to career opportunities, collaborative projects, and ongoing professional growth.
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